On a bright dry, but quite cold, Sunday morning, we joined the Friends of Mile End Park’s monthly litter pick. The task formed part of the January Challenge, giving runners a great opportunity to start the year with a positive impact on their local community and environment

We arrived one by one and joined volunteers from the Friends of Mile End Park, who organise regular clean-ups to help keep the park welcoming and enjoyable for everyone. Once we were all gathered by the Art Pavilion, there was a brief introduction and safety briefing from John of the Friends, we were equipped with litter pickers, gloves, and bags before heading to our allotted areas of the park

Working together, the team collected a wide range of litter, including food packaging, cans, bottles, and general waste that had built up over the winter months. Despite the chilly conditions, spirits were high thanks to good teamwork and plenty of conversation. The park is known for great potted woodpeckers, parakeets, robins, pairs of blue tits and water fowl, as well as snowdrops

Joining this task as part of the January Challenge was a brilliant reminder of what GoodGym is all about: combining physical activity with practical help for local communities. After an hour and half, many bags of rubbish had been filled, leaving the park cleaner and more pleasant for residents, visitors, and wildlife alike

It only remained to squeeze ourselves into the Coffee Room (actually bigger inside than out) for a deserved hot coffee and cake

On a bright dry, but quite cold, Sunday morning, we joined the Friends of Mile End Park’s monthly litter pick. The task formed part of the January Challenge, giving runners a great opportunity to start the year with a positive impact on their local community and environment. A special welcome to Christopher, doing his first GoodGym task!

We arrived one by one and joined volunteers from the Friends of Mile End Park, who organise regular clean-ups to help keep the park welcoming and enjoyable for everyone. Once we were all gathered by the Art Pavilion, there was a brief introduction and safety briefing from John of the Friends, we were equipped with litter pickers, gloves, and bags before heading to our allotted areas of the park

Working together, the team collected a wide range of litter, including food packaging, cans, bottles, and general waste that had built up over the winter months. Despite the chilly conditions, spirits were high thanks to good teamwork and plenty of conversation. The park is known for great potted woodpeckers, parakeets, robins, pairs of blue tits and water fowl, as well as snowdrops

Joining this task as part of the January Challenge was a brilliant reminder of what GoodGym is all about: combining physical activity with practical help for local communities. After an hour and half, many bags of rubbish had been filled, leaving the park cleaner and more pleasant for residents, visitors, and wildlife alike

It only remained to squeeze ourselves into the Coffee Room (actually bigger inside than out) for a deserved hot coffee and cake

John and Emma were up early - though not too early, as Mile End Junior Parkrun doesn't start until 9:30 - to marshall the course and to cheer on the smiling kids

Marshalling plays a key role in ensuring the event runs safely and smoothly. We offered encouragement along the way, helped keep participants on course and reassured parents and spectators throughout the run. And it wasn't too cold

Events like Junior Parkrun rely heavily on volunteers, and the support from GoodGym made a positive difference to both the organisers and the children taking part at Mile End Park. The collaboration highlighted GoodGym’s commitment to combining physical activity with community support, while helping to create a fun and safe environment for local families

On a cold and fresh day on the Ham Lands, the GoodGym team joined Sharon and the rest of the Friends of Ham Lands to tackle an overgrown patch of brambles. John, Pippa, Monika, Kate, Chris, Adam, Suze, Rosie, Alex and JP were armed with loppers, gloves and plenty of enthusiasm as we chopped back and uprooted the brambles to reduce competition and open up space for violets and snowdrops to thrive.

The task involved cutting through dense, thorny growth and digging out roots to help prevent regrowth. Working steadily as a team, we cleared the area and left it ready for spring flowers to emerge. By the end of the session, the site looked noticeably more open and light-filled, giving native plants a much better chance to establish and spread.

We finished up with a well-earned cup of tea with the Friends of Ham Lands group, before making our way to the Swiss Bakery for drinks and snacks — a perfect end to a thorny but rewarding mission.

Next time will be on Valentines Day - sign up here: https://www.goodgym.org/v3/sessions/helping-the-happy-ham-landers-8ee7fa0c-756b-4d38-9748-7b6b725f7d2e